Agenda Setting

Agenda setting is when the media can frame the news they cover in a way that pushes a certain agenda. The ability for the media to prioritize what stories they deem “most important” can be dangerous because it allows them to control the information we take in and it can even have an effect on our personal opinions and voting patterns. 

If the news is only showing stories revolving around one certain issue in society, take government spending for example. Let’s say that there are two candidates running for election. One candidate is emphasizing an anti-war campaign while the other candidate is prioritizing government spending as the primary cause to docs on in their campaign. The public has been fed information to make them think that government spending is a more threatening issue as all of their news coverage has been talking about how severe government spending is. So the voters will likely sway towards the candidate whose priority is fixing government spending habits. This isn't to say which issue is more important or which candidate is better, but it goes to show the power that the media has when they show to prioritize certain stories over others.

This can also be harmful for people living in news deserts as well. If their only source of news is framing the information in a way that excludes curtain information, it puts them at a disadvantage. They are missing out on information that could help better shape and inform their opinions and this is information they deserve to have access to. The power that the media has when they can control the news they report on can influence the issues in society that receive attention which can then have an impact on the policies that are put in place. 

Another important aspect to think about with agenda setting is the actual wording and language that is used to frame the stories in the news. The perspectives of the news reporters can infiltrate the information and their bias can make the credibility of the story questionable. While we like to believe that we can trust the people that are sharing the most important news stories, the world we live in is full of people pushing personal and political agendas and media framing is the first and easiest way that bias is introduced.

Traditional media is not the only victim of agenda setting. Social media platforms are just as, if not more, vulnerable to framing. Certain hashtags, stories, and posts that get shared can have an impact on the information that people retain. People can share information at a rate like never before and the ability to amplify certain content has changed the way that people form opinions and take in information. 

    To conclude, agenda setting is a method that the media uses to decide what information they deem the most important for their audience to see. This can become dangerous when bias and power infiltrate the media source and block certain information from the public or choose to emphasize stories that back their own opinion. The prioritization of certain stories can shift peoples opinions in a way that affects their worldview, political opinions, or even their voting patterns. Misinformation or a lack of coverage of accurate information puts people at a disadvantage and could make them a victim of propaganda.